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stardustbarbarians · 5 months

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Even Sinners Drink the Wine

A Too Pretty For War prologue

Part One

A Samuel Kiszka / Daniel Wagner fic

Summary: Years before he became the king of Athens, Prince Samuel risked his life in order to save his best friend's.

Tags: Prince!Sam, Court Member!Daniel, war, life or death situations, Savior Sammy, Sam-centric

Trigger Warnings: graphically depicted violence, blood, nightmares, discussion of death and dying (if I miss any please let me know!)

Words: 6.9 k

A/N: An entire year later (to the day), I finally got around to posting that Sanny chapter of this series I promised. I didn't intend to have multiple parts of this fic, but considering the word count came to 17,000+ words, I did not want to subject you all to that. If you've seen the BBC show Merlin at all, this fic might be familiar to you as I was inspired by the episode "The Poisoned Chalice". Also, I tagged this as Danny/Sammy, but we all know what happened in TPFW, so take that how you will. Now, I would be remiss to not dedicate this fic to @t00turnttrauma as I'm convinced she's the biggest fan of this whole universe. I would also love to shout out @ofthecaravel for being a tremendous help and a good sport as I sent her snippets of this as I was writing. And lastly, thank you @safety-sam for giving me the idea for this whole universe a year ago. I feel this is most likely unnecessary, but the title is taken from Greta Van Fleet's Stardust Chords. As always, enjoy <3.

+++

The war had been raging for six years. Six years of bloodshed and violence for a boy that never would have wanted such a thing in all his days.

Josh had passed six years ago and Sam was reminded of that simple fact every time the sun poked over his beloved sea.

However, this particular morning was one of the few where the young prince awoke with sorrow absent from his heart. For the first time in three years, Samuel was finally seeing his older brother.

Jacob was returning home from the battlefield.

As soon as the sun’s rays began to weakly stream into the prince’s room, he sprang up out of his bed and called his servant into the room in order to be dressed. Samuel was buzzing with excitement as he was wrapped in his silk chiton, hardly able to stay static.

“Your highness, you must remain still if you do not wish for me to draw your blood,” Pythius warned, ceasing all action for dressing the prince. He held the chiton in place with one hand and a broach in the other hand.

Sam knew he’d been acting difficult this morning, but he just couldn’t help it. Today was a very special day for him. It was not every day that he saw Jake. How could he contain himself?

“Apologies, Phythius.” Sam then made a conscious effort to stay as still as the statutes lining the halls of his palace. Though, he could not cease his hands from fidgeting with the ends of his garment.

After what felt like an eternity, Pythius finally finished dressing the young prince.

“All done, your grace-”

Before he had even finished his sentence, Samuel was bolting out the door and yelling his thanks behind him as he did so. Pythius grunted as he made to chase after him, stopping in the doorway. “Prince Samuel!! Your sandals!!”

It was no use and the manservant knew this. Samuel was forever “forgetting” his footwear, and to attempt to force him into them was a Herculean feat. Leaning against the doorframe, he tossed the sandals onto the floor of Samuel’s chambers as he watched the youngest royal tramp down the hallway that led to the ward’s chambers.

Samuel scrambled down the halls, the sandstone cold against his bare feet. He could not wipe the beaming grin off his face as the wind ran its fingers through his hair. He skid around the final corner and reached his destination. He barely gave the courtesy of a knock before barging inside the door.

“Jacob is coming home today!” Samuel’s tone was so chipper, he sounded like one of the birds his mother kept as a pet.

The ward glanced at his best friend through the mirror he sat before as his dark curls were being manipulated into place by his manservant. He seemed to have caught Sam’s contagious grin, the corners of his petal pink lips curving upwards at the sight of his best friend.

“Good morning, my darling Samuel,” Daniel greeted, not at all fazed by the royal’s enthusiasm. He’d been dealing with Sam’s overly excited nature for going on a week now. He was used to it at this point.

“Jacob is coming home today,” the prince repeated, seeming to ignore Daniel’s greeting. He was grinning so wide, he was sure all of his teeth were on display. His hands were balled into fists in front of him, shaking them up and down as he bounced on the balls of his feet.

With a final word with his servant, Daniel got up from his seat once his hair was deemed finished. It had been pulled back into a bun that was wrapped in a gold string, two perfect curls framing his brilliant face. There was also a gold headband wrapping around the circumference of his head, matching the gold piping accents of his off-white chiton.

“Yes, so you have said,” Daniel responded. It was said without a hint of exhaustion; if anything, it seemed to make his smile brighten. He outstretched a hand to tuck a strand of hair behind Samuel’s ear, something glittering in his eyes that Sam completely missed in his enthusiasm.

“When do you believe he will arrive?” He searched the ward’s face vehemently, hopeful for an answer that he agreed with.

With a sigh bordering on wistful, Daniel dropped his hand and turned back towards where he was just seated. That was when Samuel noticed the long cape that flowed from the straps of Daniel’s chiton, the fabric leaving his upper back exposed. When he turned back to face the royal, Sam noticed he had slipped on golden bracelets forged to resemble vines wrapping gracefully around his wrists.

It was… a different look for Daniel. Usually, he opted for a simple silk fabric and that was the end of it. It was a flattering look for the ward, even if it more closely resembled a woman’s dress. It was upon that realization that a warm flush flooded his cheeks with near violent speed. However, his moment of being flummoxed was quickly overtaken with his elation when Daniel answered his question.

“Most likely by the evening, if not by mid-day,” he responded, that soft smile returning to his brilliant features.

Sam all but cheered, jumping up as the thrill of seeing his long missed brother mounted into something that was hardly contained. The ward watched on in amusement as a child-like enthusiasm overtook the prince.

“I was dearly hoping you would speak something like that,” Sam finally commented after being able to partially put a lid on his emotions.

His smile turning into a full smile, Daniel turned away from his friend and made for the door.

“Alright, your highness. Let us get some food in you before you faint or forget,” Daniel urged, opening up the doorway of his chambers into the corridor now lit with the strong rays of dawn.

Sam, knowing that his best friend was right, walked through the door. The two sauntered down towards the dining area, Sam making conversation that was mostly one-sided. He kept buzzing about all the things he had wanted to do with his older brother upon his return, his passion never-ending. Daniel listened to the prince’s chatter, his patience never-ending. He was always this gentle when Sam got into one of his moods; he had seen one too many times where Samuel’s excitement was unjustly turned down or interrupted due to the listener not caring about his soliloquy. Daniel never was one of those shades, and Samuel was forever grateful for that.

“Apologies for interrupting. But Samuel, you must not allow yourself to get your hopes too high. Jacob… Well, he might not be as you remember him to be,” Daniel carefully explained, turning his body to fully face the royal. He even placed a gentle hand on Sam’s shoulder, his eyes searching for Sam’s own.

“Whatever do you mean, Daniel?”

A look flashed across his face momentarily that almost seemed to pain the ward. As though he pitied the youngest royal. But, just like a flash of lightning, it was gone from his features within the blink of an eye. But Sam caught it.

“Just…”

Whatever Daniel had wanted to say died on his tongue like an animal who had had its heart pierced by an arrow.

“He has been away for a long time. He may not be the same Jacob from your memories,” Daniel finally elaborated. Samuel knew that was not what his friend had originally wanted to say. But, he did not have the time to pry out of him whatever the ward had meant before the two were spotted by Samuel’s older sister.

“Ah, I thought I would find you two lurking about,” Veronica playfully called, making her way over to the pair. Her silk gown billowed out behind her as she approached, similar to how Daniel’s garments had as he strolled down the hallway with Samuel.

Once again, it had given the young prince a moment of pause, causing his cheeks to flame like the burning sunrise over his beloved sea.

“They are waiting for you out on the patio. Your chiton is lovely, Daniel.” The princess spoke the last line over her shoulder, guiding the pair towards the patio in question.

Samuel dutifully followed. Though, as his sister and his best friend made conversation, Samuel tuned them out. Unintentionally, of course. But, his mind was soaring into the clouds as he attempted to parse out what it was about Daniel that day made him so flustered.

+++

Breakfast came and went with minimal incident. Of course, there was the instance of the king snapping at his youngest for talking incessantly about his brother’s return, but that was hardly a rare occurrence. His mother had placed a comforting hand atop her son’s after he had retreated inwardly at his father’s anger, calming the turmoil roiling beneath his breast. He placed a loving kiss onto the back of her hand before taking his leave.

Samuel spent the rest of his morning honing his archery skills. He attempted horseback archery, something he had only previously done once before. Despite his nerves, he was able to do a good job at hitting the targets.

“Althea, you have yet to disappoint me,” Samuel cooed to his horse, patting her dapple gray neck lovingly after he dismounted. She stomped her large hooves appreciatively into the dirt beneath her, her long black tail flicking at the affection.

The prince clicked his tongue as he held her reins in his hand, his signal for her to follow him. She did so loyally, matching his pace as the two made their way over to where Daniel was lounged under a tree.

“Are you diligently at work, or simply presenting to seem that way?” Samuel jested as he approached, flashing a brilliantly charming smile towards his best friend.

“I know you are unfamiliar with the concept of work, so I shall not fault you for not knowing what that looks like,” Daniel shot right back, only briefly glancing away from the scroll he was pouring over to look at Samuel.

With a good natured laugh emitting from both parties, Samuel turned to Althea to remove her saddle, grunting as he lifted the heavy wood and leather off the animal. She shook after having the weight removed, throwing her head up and down as if stretching. After setting the saddle under the tree on the opposite side of Daniel’s position, he turned back towards his horse.

“Go and frolic as you wish, girl. You earned it,” he told her before untying her reins from the branch of the tree. With little hesitation, she wandered off into the field that stretched out before them.

With a fond smile adorning his face, the prince pivoted on his heel and made for the spot the ward lounged.

“What subject matter are you cramming into that thick skull of yours?” Sam teased as he laid down perpendicular to Daniel, resting his head onto the man’s lap. If he squinted and strained his eyes just right, he could just barely make out the writing on the parchment.

“Diplomacy,” he quickly answered before pulling the scroll out of the way to gaze at Samuel directly in the eye, “not that you have any inclination as to what that word suggests.”

There was a devious glint in his eye after he spoke that matched the smirk on his lips.

“Aye! You cur! Retract that statement at once!” Sam’s demand was accentuated by his finger pointing in the ward’s face.

Daniel simply chuckled warmly before pushing his best friend’s hand out of his face and sliding the parchment back into his line of sight. “Your demand achieves nothing, save prove my point.”

The prince crossed his arms over his chest in a petulant act. He had hoped to provoke Daniel into a bit of a tiff for his amusement, but it seemed that he would not rise to the bait. Instead, he preoccupied his time by watching the sunlight dance across the yellowed scroll above his eyes as the wind rustled the leaves with its gentle and warm breath.

Without even realizing, the man had dozed off. It seems the comfort of being swaddled in his best friend’s scent and warmth as well as having his skin warmed by the afternoon sun were the perfect amalgamation of factors to send him off peacefully towards his dreams.

However, peaceful they did not stay.

Samuel found himself shoved into a dark cave, black cloaking his vision so successfully he could not see his hand directly in front of him. With a whimper of fear that he attempted to suppress poorly, he stumbled forward in a direction he could only hope led towards the mouth of it. He dared not make any noise in fear of what beasts call that musty and decrepit cavern home.

Turning what he hoped was a corner, Samuel felt relief flood his veins as he spotted a far away stream of light that led towards the exit. Only then did he hear a scream that made every drop of his blood turn to ice.

“DANIEL!!”

With no hesitation, the prince turned away from the cave exit and back down to the bowels of the cavern where the scream originated. He stumbled hastily downwards as the tormented screams of his best friend became more pained.

When Samuel finally reached him, he was greeted with the most awful sight of Daniel bound to a boulder with iron chains clamped around his hands. His arms were forcibly stretched out above his head, the strained muscles on his chest on full display due to his lack of clothing. And perched atop his ribs was an eagle, its talons digging so deep into his flesh that they seemed to coil around the bones of his ribs. Its head was bowed, its beak violently tearing into the skin right beneath Daniel’s right pectoral. A sickening amount of blood spilled out from Daniel, some of it even dried on his sweat-slicked sinews.

His face was screwed up in unbearable pain, his teeth gritted against the agony of having his liver scavenged from beneath his still beating heart. Each movement of the eagle made the man cry out in pure arduous torment. Tears even flowed down the sides of his face.

Samuel’s knees buckled beneath him. He crashed into the cold stone of the ground, horror freezing him in place. There was nothing he could attempt in order to save Daniel. He had been sentenced to this torture under divine order. There was simply no escaping your fate once the Gods had condemned you.

Knowing that he had limited options, Samuel went with the only one he knew to be possible. He crawled along the floor of the cave, reaching out for his best friend. When he reached Daniel, the royal simply smoothed the curls on the crown of his head. The tortured man’s sobs became stronger as he experienced his first comfort in Gods knew how long, leaning his head into the touch of Sam’s caress that traveled down to his cheek.

Samuel felt a tear of his own trickle down his cheek as he pressed his forehead into Daniel’s. “I am so sorry.”

“Sammy!”

The prince jolted awake at the calling of his name. Blearily, he rubbed at his eyes before searching around to check that he was not still trapped in that awful nightmare. Instead of the oppressive darkness of that cursed cave, he was greeted by the warm embrace of the late afternoon sun. With a sigh of relief, all of his fear seeped out of his bones in his exhale. He glanced upwards, Daniel gazing down at him with a look of carefully masked concern on his face.

“What is it?” The prince’s voice sounded as though he had swallowed sand. He lifted one of his hands to his forehead, rubbing at his temples that were beginning to throb.

“Were you having a nightmare?” Daniel inquired, his brow knitting as he closely examined his companion.

Yes

“No. You needn’t worry,” Sam quickly reassured, waving his hand in a dismissal of his best friend’s concern.

Samuel watched as the ward regarded him. He was aware Daniel knew he was lying, it was now simply a matter of whether or not he would call Sam out on this.

After shaking his head, the ward came to his decision.

“Pythius just came by to offer up the news. Jacob has returned to the palace.”

Samuel, still reeling from his nightmare, forced himself to react with the same enthusiasm he had emanated for the past week in regards to his brother. Cosmetically, he knew he had managed to muster the appropriate response; his lips parting into a blinding smile as he shot up from his position, forcing his skin to buzz with excitement. But, just beneath was a darkness that was sapping away his true elation and replacing it with an encompassing sense of dread.

He had dreamt of Daniel as Prometheus, the Gods ultimate scapegoat. And as he bounded off towards the sandstone structure he had called home for the past eighteen years, he could not rid himself of the sinking feeling deep within his stomach that his nightmare mirrored that of his prophetic dreams.

+++

There was a haunted look beneath Jacob’s otherwise warm disposition. Samuel noticed it right away, though he dared not point it out. For the time being, until the moment presented itself, the youngest prince played along with the facade the warrior had worn.

“Jacob, it is so good to see you,” Samuel greeted, pulling his older brother into an embrace. The moment he had his brother in his arms again, Samuel felt that affection and enthusiasm surge up in his chest and beat away that dread that had sewn itself into him.

“Samuel,” Jacob breathed, his arms tightening around Sam before releasing him and holding the youngest at arm’s length. He took in his little brother’s appearance, his eyes scanning him from head to toe.

“You’ve grown.” There was a melancholy intertwined with the words.

Sam felt his lips curl up at the corners. “So have you.”

It was true. Since the last time he had seen his older brother, Jake had grown. Not in height - Samuel still towered over him - but in build. No longer were his limbs thin, but piled with muscles that come with being a soldier fighting for three years straight. He was still in his armor, the bronze chestplate reflecting the light of the late afternoon sun. He even rested his hand on the hilt of his sword.

With a smile that finally reached his eyes, Jacob removed the hand he had rested on Samuel’s shoulder only to tangle it in his hair and ruffle it. They both laughed, Sam slapping Jake’s arm away.

“Cease, you two. I do not want this to turn into a real squabble,” their mother interjected.

The brothers both spared her a glance before looking back at one another. With a nod of his head towards the hall, Jacob led the way towards his chambers. Samuel scrambled to match pace with his brother before falling into step with him.

“So, do not misinterpret my intentions behind this question, but why have you returned? When I inquired about this with others, no one would answer me.”

Jacob paused in his steps, the metal of his armor clattering together at the halting of his momentum. He regarded his little brother with a look that Samuel could not place.

“They would not answer you?” he repeated.

Samuel shook his head, some of his hair getting caught in the corner of his lips. He reached up a hand to wipe it away and tuck the loose strand behind his ear.

There was another beat where it appeared that Jacob was making a decision. With something flashing quickly behind his eyes, the crowned prince clapped a hand upon his brother’s shoulder before offering a charming smile.

“I missed you. That is all.” With one more pat to Sam’s shoulder, his brother turned away and made for his chambers.

Samuel stayed in his position, watching on as Jacob trekked down the sandstone floor. He felt conflicting emotions coil up into his chest as he observed Jacob; pain at knowing he was being lied to and pride at realizing that these halls were meant for him. He was the next true ruler of this kingdom and it was evident.

Sam would never be as fit for ruling as Jacob. But, that was not something Samuel would ever need to fret about.

+++

As the sun slipped below the horizon, the whole of the castle had gathered in the great hall for a celebratory feast. Each lady was dressed in her finest, the gentlemen wearing the decorative armor. Daniel had abandoned his long silk gown in favor of his finest armor. His curls had been left to fall down to his shoulders, his gold headband replaced by a silver crown piece wrapped around his forehead with a pearl dangling down from the center.

Samuel and Jacob both wore their respective crowns of their own. However, as one would imagine, the one worn by the crowned prince was much more elaborate than Samuel’s simple golden vines. While they were similar in shape, Jacob’s silver vines were encrusted with sparkling jewels that twinkled like the stars of the night sky. They were seated on either side of their parents, the crowned prince on the side of their father and Samuel next to his mother; Veronica was next to Jacob. On Samuel’s right was none other than his best friend.

The two of them had passed the time of the night with endless conversation, never seeming to run out of topics to discuss. More often than not, one of them would become too enraptured in their own corner of the world and forget about the presence of the others in the hall, boisterously erupting in laughter or the like, earning more than a few pointed looks from the queen.

As the night reached its natural mid-point, the king called for everyone’s attention by tapping his fork along the side of his goblet. When the clamor of the room died down at the noise and all eyes shifted their focus towards the front of the room, the king stood from his throne at the very center of the high table.

“Gentleman and Ladies of the court, if I may have your attention,” the king asked, his arms raised in an almost placating manner. As much as Samuel hated to admit it, he could not deny that his father knew how to command a room.

When the din ceased and all eyes were properly fixed onto the most powerful man in the room, he continued with his speaking.

“I thank you all for joining us, first and foremost. Most notably my son, Jacob, who has traveled from the front lines of war where he fends off those beastly savages, the Spartans. Truly, a hero amongst us men.” The king placed a firm hand on Jacob’s shoulder, a look of pride swelling onto his features in the manifestation of a smile.

Samuel, having to divert his gaze from the display, felt the claws of jealousy sink into his heart while the ropes of sadness coiled inside of his gut like a snake. His father had never gazed upon him in such a manner and most likely never would.

“But, this night is not about him. As you are all aware, with the recent passing of our dear Lord Lógios, the crown is in need of a new court advisor. And when it came time for me to name such a man to fill his position, I could think of no one better than that of my ward, Daniel-”

“This is why Jacob has returned?” Samuel hissed quietly at his mother in order to refrain from putting attention onto himself.

The queen leaned over towards her son just enough so that he might be able to hear her response. “We kept this from you in fear of you slipping up and ruining tonight’s grand reveal. Apologies, my dear, but it had to be done.”

Without allowing for any further probing, Sam’s mother returned her attention towards her husband.

“-you could join me in raising your goblets,” the king held his own in hand before lifting it higher towards the ceiling, everyone in the court following suit, “to Daniel, for that he may guide my son on the right path in the way I trust that he will.”

“To Daniel!” the room chorused together as they mimicked their king’s gesture. Just as Sam was about to take a drink of his wine, he heard a loud thud to his right. Snapping his head in the direction of the sound, he was greeted by the awful visual of his best friend laying on the floor, his spilled goblet next to him as the remaining wine seeped out across the sandstone.

“DANIEL!!” Samuel cried, all but tossing his own goblet away in his haste to rush to the man’s side. He was not responding to Sam’s voice nor his touch, causing a spike of fear to lance its way through the prince’s heart.

Suddenly, there was someone at his side, but Samuel could not tell who it was. All he had the focus for was the fact that he was not certain if the ward was breathing. Someone was speaking to him, a man, but he could not say what was being spoken. There was only one thought repeating in a mantra within his head: He’s not breathing. And that was the most terrifying thought anyone could possibly conjure up. Even in his worst night terrors, Morpheus dared not present Sam with this possibility, for even he understood that was taking it a step too far.

“Samuel!”

Jake had taken him by the shoulders and shook him. Finally, Sam was snapped out of his downward spiral and back to the present matter. Stealing one last glance in his best friend’s direction, he spared his undivided attention towards his older brother.

“Sammy, I need you to stay with me. Daniel is in danger, but being stuck in a panic is not the way of assisting him. Do you hear me?” When Sam tried to look back towards Daniel, he placed both hands on the young prince’s cheeks and forced Sam to look him in the eye.

With a shaking breath, Sam nodded his head. Right, he was simply wasting time by allowing his anxiety to sink its claws into him.

“Good. Now, we need to take him to the physician immediately,” Jacob ordered, letting his hands fall from Sammy’s face.

The prince was so thankful for his brother grounding him in that moment. He would not realize it until after, but Sam realized he had witnessed General Jacob in action in that moment.

Bracing himself, Samuel slid his arms underneath Daniel’s prone form, carrying him as if he were his new bride. There was a moment where the muscles in his legs protested at the extra weight being added to his ascent to his upright position, but he ignored them as he ran away from the uproarious commotion that had erupted in the hall at the newly appointed advisor’s fainting. Jake was in tow, the goblet Daniel had drank from in his hands. Another person in their wake following them down the corridors of the palace was Giatrós, the court physician.

“Lay him down on the bed,” Giatrós ordered as they burst through the doors of his chambers. Samuel obeyed without qualm, gently resting his best friend down onto the soft bedding of the healing ward.

Reluctantly, he allowed himself to be pulled away from Daniel by Jacob to allow for Giatrós to have the space to work. However, he did not let himself be pulled far, insisting on keeping his hand in Daniel’s on the opposite side of where the physician worked.

“He’s burning up,” the healer muttered under his breath after placing a hand onto the ward’s forehead, “Prince Jacob, would you please fetch me that pail of water and the cloth next to it?”

The hand on Sam’s shoulder left, Jake following the request of the physician. Samuel watched on as he busily worked up his patient, his face pinching together in a frown that Samuel did not care for as he checked Daniel’s pulse.

Sam, who at this point had begun to chew on his lip and nails interchangeably, took in the visage of his best friend. He had gotten so pale so quickly, all of the color draining from his sinews. A sheen of sweat had accumulated across his visible flesh, his body wracking in small convulsions as he fought off the chill brought on by his fever. Daniel had rapidly flexed and unflexed his fingers around Sam’s hand, each little grip squeezing his heart as if that was what Daniel was holding in its stead.

“It will be alright, Daniel, I promise,” Samuel had whispered into the man’s ear, using his free hand to smooth the curls on the crown of his head. He had taken to gently removing Daniel’s diadem when he saw his brother return with the cloth and bucket. All too suddenly, Samuel was struck with the similarities of this to his nightmare he’d experienced just that afternoon.

“Sam, please,” Jake gently asked, the hand not holding the now wet cloth pulling on his shoulder once more.

With one last caress of his hand, Sam pulled away once more to allow Jacob to do as he was tasked.

“Giatrós, please, tell me you can heal him,” Sam desperately asked, all of the emotions saturating his tone causing his words to crack under the weight of them.

The physician glanced up from his work to look the young prince in the eye. When he hesitated, Samuel realized that the man was becoming blurrier with each passing second.

“Without knowing exactly what he has fallen ill from, I am afraid there is not much I can do other than treat his symptoms,” Giatrós answered honestly.

Hot tears cascaded down Sam’s cheeks at the gravity of his situation. Daniel - his best friend and the person he was closest with and whom he had wished to spend the rest of his days with - was about to be torn away from him. He felt as if he was about to fall over, all of the blood in his veins turning to ice. His vision was charring around the edges, that darkness encroaching onto him with every heartbeat.

Sam began swaying on his feet, his extremities turning fuzzy. Just when it seemed that he was about to lose consciousness, Jake swooped in and caught his baby brother within his arms.

“Keep your head, Samuel,” Jacob softly ordered, gently propping Sam back up onto his feet.

Giatrós was still fluttering around his chambers wildly, grabbing vials and small bottles off of shelves only to place them back in their positions. He eventually returned with a mortar and pestle made from a dark stone in his hands, grinding herbs as he approached with his brow knit in concentration. There was a pungent smell wafting out of the mortar as he approached.

Sam watched him scoop the herbal mixture into a small muslin cloth and then dip it in water before taking the now soaking cloth and squeezing it into an empty vial. He repeated the process about three times until the vial was about a quarter full.

“Pinch his nose closed for me,” the physician requested, looking Sam dead in the eyes. With a weak nod, Sam did as he was told. Giatrós pried open the ward’s mouth before pouring the contents of the vial into it, clamping a hand over his lips so that he had to ingest the mixture.

“There, that should assist in keeping the fever at bay for now.” Giatrós removed his hand, Sam following his lead and doing the same. Daniel gulped for air now that the pathways were unblocked, but he still would not open his eyes. It was frightening, it was maddening, and Samuel had to sit by and watch. As the healer said, there was nothing they could do without knowledge of what caused Daniel to have this reaction.

Samuel took the small strides necessary to place himself onto Daniel’s bedside, sitting down next to the man’s waist as the bed dipped with his added weight. He never released Daniel’s hand, their fingers managing to become entwined without Sam conscious of it happening. He went back to smoothing his best friend’s raven curls with his hand, the silken strands damp with his sweat and clinging to Sam’s fingers.

“Please, fight this. I beg of you,” Samuel whispered desperately before resting his forehead against Daniel’s.

One thing that did fan the embers of hope burning inside his chest was that Daniel’s body no longer seemed to convulse with chills. Giatrós’s tincture had worked; the ward’s skin no longer blazed beneath Sam’s touch.

“Now that he has become more stable, I shall take a closer look at the goblet he drank from,” the physician informed, picking up the ornate silver drinking vessel and staring into it with a critical eye, “perhaps it will provide the answers we seek.”

“What of the guests at the banquet tonight? Perhaps they witnessed or heard something,” Sam suggested, swiveling his head back and forth between the two men stationed on either side of him.

“I shall look into that,” Jacob offered, his arms folding over his chest as he spoke. “I severely doubt you will abandon Daniel’s bedside anytime in the near future.”

Sam felt his face grow warm in embarrassment, his hand tightening within his best friend’s grip. He could not refute Jacob’s claim, as it were.

“I-”

“Yell for me if his condition worsens. I shall be in my study,” Giatrós informed before sweeping out of the sick area and through a door that Sam had never been behind.

“Do not neglect yourself and tend to your own needs as necessary,” Jacob firmly ordered before placing a hand on his brother’s shoulder and looking him intently in the eye.

Before Sam could respond to such a statement, the crowned prince headed out the door. For the first time that night, Samuel was left alone with Daniel. He felt suddenly as if a massive boulder had just plummeted onto his shoulders, his entire body sagging with the weight of it.

“You will make it through this,” Samuel’s voice wavered, wrapping his other hand around Daniel’s that he was already holding, Samuel bringing it up to his lips, “I promise.”

+++

Countless restless hours had passed, many of them spent watching Danny like a hawk. When it had reached the earliest hours of morning, the jaws of sleep had finally snapped themselves fully into Sam, pulling him down into their clutches. However, that rest would not last long.

A knock on the door to the infirmary roused Sam from his sleep. He lifted his head up from his crossed arms on Daniel’s cot, shaking his hands against the pins and needles buzzing within them.

“Come in,” he blearily commanded, thinking it to be Jake. Though, after he had finished rubbing his eyes with his hand, he was surprised to see a serving girl standing before him.

She was clearly very nervous, her hands wringing together as she made herself very small in stature. She also refused to meet his gaze, nervously glancing around the floor as if she expected a nest of vipers to writhe their way out of it spontaneously.

“What brings you here?” Sam cringed at how supercilious he sounded, intending to come across as soothing. He had never been good at connecting with people, that was more of the twin’s ability.

“I apologize for disturbing you, Prince Samuel, I did not mean to cause any strife,” the woman rushed out, still keeping her eyes pointed downwards, “but I have some information regarding… well, regarding Lord Daniel.” She cast her eyes over towards his prone form quickly before forcing them back downwards.

“You do?? By all means, do tell me.” He had managed to make his tone smoother, keeping his volume down in order to keep from disturbing Daniel.

That seemed to be the wrong response, however. As soon as the sentence left Sam’s lips, the servant’s body began to tremble wholly. Samuel instantly felt his body turn as rigid as a wood plank at the display. And when he realized that the shallow breaths she was intaking were her sobs, his entire body turned frigid.

“My lord, please do not spill my blood for this. I know it does not justify my role, but I was under threat of death as well as my family,” she sobbed, her voice just above a whisper. Her entire body shook with the force of her tears, finally locking her glassy eyes onto Sam’s. They were so filled with fear… Sam had no choice but to believe that this was how soldiers looked right before being run though by a blade.

“Please, try to breathe,” the prince uselessly muttered, kneeling down in front of her to try and seem less imposing, his hands resting gently on her arms, “how about you start by telling me your name?”

The serving girl swallowed hard, closing her eyes and breathing as she was instructed. “Alcmene.”

“Alcmene, good. Now, start at the beginning.”

Taking a deep breath, Alcmene launched into her narrative.

“It was I who laced the poison into Lord Daniel’s wine. But not I the one who conjured up the plan. I was forced to by Lord Aetós,” she explained, her voice dripping with hysteria as she went. Samuel could feel her tremble beneath his hands.

Lord Aetós. He should have known he would be the one to devise such a sinister plan. The man had been after the position of court advisor for nearing decades now. Only problem with this being the man had no wisdom to speak of. The thought that he would end Daniel’s life in order to try and take his position caused an unfettered rage to burn fiercely inside Sam’s blood.

“Please, spare me,” Alcmene desperately pleaded.

Right as the young royal opened his mouth to assure her no such fate would befall her, she spoke again.

“If you do deem it necessary to execute me, I have just one request. I have a boy of only three, I simply beg of you to ensure his safety.” Her voice trembled with every word.

“What of his father?” Sam hesitated to ask, afraid he already knew the answer.

“He perished in the war,” the woman struggled to say, her voice cracking beneath the weight of her emotions.

Her words plunged deep beneath his skin like a dagger to the chest. She had been forsaken so egregiously by the court and those she served and here she was, standing before the prince fully anticipating he call for her head for committing an act she had no say in doing; and her only thought was that of her boy’s safety. She was the bravest person Sam had ever encountered.

Dropping his hands from her arms, Samuel removed the golden bracelets he had wrapped around his wrists and handed them over to her. The look of complete shock on her features did nothing to help ease the guilt thrumming behind his ribs.

“Your highness…”

“You have done a great service for us today. You may have just saved Daniel’s life, and for that I am forever in your debt. And as a tiny act of gratitude, please take these. Once this is over, I shall arrange that you be paid handsomely in gold for the rest of your days and never have to worry about you or your son’s safety.”

She stared down at his offering, her mouth hanging open as she digested his words. “I… I cannot accept…”

The prince used his free hand to gently grab Alcmene’s, opening her palm and closing her fingers around the jewelry.

“You are the bravest person I have ever come across. Daniel means more to me than… more to me than words can describe and you just risked your life in order to save his. You deserve this. Now, go and be with… what is your son’s name?”

“Ganymede,” Alcmene answered, a smile finally breaking through her fear.

“Right. Go and be with Ganymede. My one contingency of this offering is that you must use this money to purchase him a pet of his choosing,” he playfully instructed her, a smile of his own breaking out across his lips as the woman emitted a watery laugh.

“I shall find him a guard dog; name him Samuel and tell Ganymede about the wonderful prince who will watch over him for the rest of his life,” she laughed, a meaningful look in her eye as she locked gazes with the royal, “thank you, your highness.”

“No. Thank you,” he emphasized before sending her off to be with her son. With Alcmene gone, he finally was able to focus fully on the blinding rage boiling just beneath his skin. It was a titan in and of itself, his fury. One that even the Goddess Lyssa would pale at.

Taking Daniel’s pale hand in his, he placed a lingering kiss on the back of it, forcing himself not to notice how chilled his skin was. Gently resting Daniel’s hand back onto the bed, Samuel swiftly made for the exit.

“Aetós. You shall pay for this with your blood.”

+++

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